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The IoS delivers the ASA’s courses and is a member organisation. Whether you are a teacher, coach, employer or club you will find everything you need to know about qualifications or educating your workforce.

Officials Qualifications & Training

England, Scotland and Wales are in alignment over the training of swimming officials. This means training is standardised across the UK. Read on for details of the demands of each level of training, and the forms to apply.

England, Scotland and Wales have been working towards common standards in the education and training of all swimming officials.

All three Home Countries now use FINA Technical Rules. As such, trained officials are listed as British Swimming Officials. Below is a description of the various training available.

Click here for the ASA Criteria for the training of officials at ASA Licensed Meets.

Timekeeper

This is an introduction into the world of the swimming official. It covers the practical aspects of what is required of a timekeeper by means of a short theory session followed by a practical assessment.

Judge Level 1

This is the first level of British qualification. It encompasses the role and duties of a Timekeeper, Chief Timekeeper and Inspector of Turns.

The minimum age to start training is 15 years. Candidates will be required to undertake some formal theory instruction and gain practical experience working on the poolside with a mentor. A course workbook is provided for completion after which there will be a practical assessment.

During the practical assessment candidates will be required to answer questions orally. Upon qualification candidates will be attributed with the qualification Judge Level 1 on the British Swimming Database and will be encouraged to become a Licensed Official.

Judge Level 2

This is the second level of qualification. It encompasses the role and duties in relation to all aspects of judging and the theoretical role and duties of Starter.

The minimum age to start training is 16 years and candidates must ahave already qualified as Judge Level 1. The training follws a similar format to that of Judge level 1 with formal instruction, mentored pool side training with workbook followed by a practical assessment.

When qualified, candidates will be attributed with the qualification Judge Level 2 on the British Swimming Database.

Referee

The minimum age for training is 19 years providing the candidate is aged 20 years as at 30 November in the year of the theory examination.

This course contains theoretical instruction and specified practical experiences. It is followed by a formal examination in November after which successful candidates take a final poolside practical assessment leading to qualification as a British Swimming Referee.

Several months have been allocated between registration and the formal examination to enable candidates to undertake all the practical experience required to complete the course as well as the theoretical instruction.

Application forms must be submitted by 31 December of the previous year to allow sufficient time for completion of training in preparation for the November examination.

The pre-requisites and application process for Referee training are currently under review and details will be posted here as soon as they are available.

The form for entry for the November 2016 examination will be available in due course

Open Water

Click here if you are looking for information on organising or qualifying as an open water official.

Contact your Regional Organiser for further information

ASA East Midlands
Mr T Bream
Tel: 01604 499469

ASA North West
Miss H Whittle
Tel:07949 869352

ASA East
Mr D Metcalf
Tel: 01234 825289

ASA South East
Mr R Prior
Tel: 01753 852 553

ASA London
Mrs A van Beukelen
Tel: 020 8942 2634

ASA South West
Mrs J Beard
Tel: 01202 533212

ASA North East
Mr F Murray
Tel: 0191 270 2661

ASA West Midlands
Mr I Lamb
Tel: 07711 211049

SASA East District
Mr A Shields
Tel: 01620 825319

SASA Midland District
Mr N Valentine
Tel: 01307 463427

SASA North District
Mr K Paterson
Tel: 01224 706404

SASA West District
Mrs C McDonald
Tel:

WASA North
Mr I Austerberry
Tel: 07968 780153

WASA South East
Mrs E Edwards
Tel:01873 832017

WASA West
Mr M Noble
Tel: 01545 570 888

The importance of insurance

All clubs, promoters and competition organisers are reminded that, for insurance purposes, all those officiating on poolside at any competition must be registered members of a British Swimming affiliated club or a member of the Institute of Swimming.